Princess Zenebework

Princess Zenebework (25 July 1917 – 24 March 1934), also called Zeneba Worq, was the second daughter of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, and his wife the Empress Menen Asfaw. Zenebework's full title was "Her Imperial Highness, Princess Zenebework Haile Selassie".

Biography

On 15 June 1932, Princess (''Leult'') Zenebework was married to the hereditary prince of eastern Tigray Province, ''Dejazmach'' Haile Selassie Gugsa, a great-grandson of Emperor Yohannes IV. She was not yet 15 years old when they were married in Addis Ababa. Haile Selassie Gugsa was the son of ''Ras'' Gugsa Araya Selassie. He was thus the great-grandson of Emperor Yohannes IV of Ethiopia by his son ''Ras'' Araya Selassie. At the time, western Tigray was ruled by ''Ras'' Seyoum Mengesha, the son of ''Ras'' Mengesha Yohannes, another heir of Emperor Yohannes. The marriage between Princess Zenebework and ''Dejazmach'' Haile Selassie Gugsa was part of a dynastic alliance that also included the marriage of her brother, Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen to Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum, the daughter of ''Ras'' Seyoum Mengesha.

Ties were thus strengthened between the reigning Shewa branch of the Imperial dynasty with both rival sides of the Tigrean branch of the dynasty. The marriage between Princess Zenebework and ''Dejazmach'' Haile Selassie however was evidently not a happy one, and the Princess is said to have complained of poor treatment. On his side, ''Dejazmach'' Haile Selassie resented that his cousin and rival Seyoum held the title of ''Ras'' while he was relegated to the lower rank of ''Dejazmach''. The two branches of Emperor Yohannes's family had long competed for seniority, and although the province of Tigray had been split between them, Haile Selassie Gugsa resented not having the title of ''Ras''. Princess Zenebework died suddenly in 1934, and upon hearing of her death, the distraught Emperor ordered that her body be flown immediately from Mekele and be brought to Addis Ababa for burial. The reasons for this are unclear, but it may have had something to do with the Princess having repeatedly complained of her treatment at the hands of her husband and his family. This added to the resentment felt by her husband towards the Emperor, and a chill developed between the Emperor and his son-in-law.

Upon the Italian invasion in 1935, ''Dejazmach'' Haile Selassie Gugsa shocked the Imperial family and his country by being among the first to join the Italians. The Italians rewarded him with the title of ''Ras'', and recognized him as the senior prince of Tigray over ''Ras'' Seyoum who would later surrender to them and be placed under house arrest. Following the liberation of 1941, Haile Selassie Gugsa was labeled a traitor, and was placed under house arrest. His title of ''Ras'' that was bestowed by the Italians was not recognized by the Ethiopian government and he reverted to his old title of ''Dejazmach''. He was not freed from his house arrest until after the fall of the Ethiopian monarchy in 1974, and died shortly thereafter.

Princess Zenebework is buried in the Imperial family crypt under Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa. A hospital in the city was established in her memory.

Honours

* Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Queen of Sheba (1930).
* Imperial Coronation Medal (1930).

Ancestry

References

External links

Memorial for Empress Menen Asfaw’s Birth Day.
Rasta-Ites.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Zenebework, Princess
Ethiopian Royal Family
Ethiopian princesses
Burials at Holy Trinity Cathedral (Addis Ababa)
1917 births
1934 deaths
Haile Selassie
Daughters of emperors